The Portland daily press., 1887-11-23
Tariff TInkerIng.

The Democracy will undoubtedly make
another attempt at the coming session of
Congress to dispose Of the surplus by cutting
down the tariff. Indeed there is little doubt
but Mr.. Carlisle and the administration have
already agreed on the details Of bill to be
presented to the new House and pushed
through if possible The bill is somewhat in
the nature of compromise, and it is hoped
the sop thrown TO the Democratic protection
lists in the shape of the abolition Of the tax
on tobacco will ensure enough votes from
them to secure its passage, The free traders
get the lions share, as is perhaps right,
inasmuch as the great mass Of the Demo-
cratic representatives are believers in that
theory. A Washington correspondent has
obtained the important provisions Of the dill
and list Of the principal articles on which
duties will be reduced or abolished alto
gether. The free traders refuse to consent
to the entire abolition of the internal reye-
nue. taxes and will not consent even to
the abolition of the taxes on tobacco except
on condition that at the same time greater
reductions shall be made in the amount OF
revenue derived from customs. The RE
formers" will seek to accomplish total
reduction of about $70 Ooo, 900. and here is list
of the articles on which the reduction win be
made with the amount on each:
Manufactured tobacco, except cigars
and cigarettes &c, o00, 600
Cottons. ......-........ ........-....... 100000
Hemp, jute and fax .................. 1,o00O00
Wooens l1'0UOOuO
Free list and other tariff reductions. 3o,5oo,ooo
Agreement has not been arrived at as to
AZ. - 10 ,.lo he fra
list but the following will certainly be
placed there if possible:
All wools hair of the alpaca, oat, and other
lke animals, unwashed, washed or secured
Woods on the skin.
Wooden rags, shoddy mungo, waste. and focks.
Fish-mackerel herring, salmon and other fish,
fresh, smoked, dried, sailed. picked, or pre-
served, except anchoves aud sardines, or other
fish preserved In oil.
Timber, hewn and sawed, and timber used for
spars and IN building wharyes.
Timber squared or sided. not 81 eclally enumer-
ated or provided for in this act
Sawed boards, plank, deals, and other lumber
Of hemlOck, white-wood, sycamore, and bass
wood and all other articles Of sawed lumber.
Hubs for wheels, posts, last blocks, wagon
blocks, oar blocks, gun-bocks, heading-blocks,
and all like blocks or sticks, rough-hewn or sawed
only
Slaves Of wood of all kinds.
Pickets and palings.
Laths.
Shingles
Pine clapboards
Spruce clapboards.
Wood, manufactured, not specially enumer-
ated or provided for in this act.
Hemp, manila, and other like substitutes for
Hempseed for agricultural purposes.
Jute butts.
Jute.
Sum.
Sisal grass and other vegetable substances not
specially enumerated or provided for.
salt IN bags, sacks, barrels, or other packages.
Salt IN bulk.
This list cannot fail to be Of great interest
to the people of Maine. The two most con-
spicuous articles in it are lumber and fish
articles in which the people of Maine are
deeply interested, inasmuch as large part
Of them derive their living from them
The Maine fishermen fought for soma
years for the abrogation of the fishery clauses
Of the Treaty of Washington, and the resto-
ration Of the duty on fish in order to keep
the Canadians out of their markets. 1t was
a struggle for existence, all the American
fisherman agreed, inasmuch as the Canadi-
an enjoyed advantages which would enable
him to undersell the American fisherman in
the markets of the United States, and even
tually to drive him out Of business. So i'm
peratively necessary did the American fish
erman believe protection to be, that he was
willing to sacrifice all the privileges in Cana
dian ports and on the Can adian coast the
treaty gave him in order to get it, The Ca
nadians would glady give to-day liberal
sum for the use of our markets. To compel
us to open them has been the motive under
lying all their prosecutions Of our fishing
vessels. And now comes the Democratic
leaders and freely offer these markets to the
Canadians for nothing. Undoubtedly we
might get for them the privilege of fishing
within the three mile limit and the privilege
OF buying bait In Dominion ports, but the
Democratic freetraders are.generous. They
offer them without money and without price.
OF course If this gift were accomplished, it
would drive our fishing industry out of ex-
istence. But what matters that to Mr.. Ca-